<p>So i'm applying for housing at berkeley. My preferences are Wada, Channing-Bowditch, and anywhere in unit 2. Any advice on which is the best/cheapest place to live??
Also, if i'm bringing a car with me, where can i park?? I know Berkeley's not gonna give me a permit. What should i do? Anybody knows???</p>
<p>any transfers who’ve lived in berkeley want to give their opinions?</p>
<p>I bought the Residence Hall parking permit for $1250/year. I’m also living in Unit 2 over the Summer, and then again during the academic year and think its pretty decent.</p>
<p>whoa collegehopeful, that 1250 could’ve been spent alot better. </p>
<p>@tsunami90: if you’re a transfer student (and i assume you are), then wada and c/b are good choices. i lived in wada and never’ve been inside any of the c/b apt’s, but i can tell you that if you don’t find any cheaper/better place on craigslist, then go for wada or c/b. i don’t think you’ll be satisfied living anywhere else in unit 2 because the rest of the kids there are going to be freshmen.</p>
<p>that said, i thought wada was a waste of my money. for 850/month, you split a room with someone you’ve never met and get your bathroom/kitchen area cleaned. that’s it. IMO, i could’ve saved $200/month and found my own apartment or room to rent, slept in my OWN room, and cleaned up after my own mess. of course, wada is a good choice if you are from out of the area and can’t afford to shop around for better housing choices.</p>
<p>as for cars, (and the reason i think collegehopeful wasted his money) there are some pretty simple steps to take to get your car stored w/o paying through the nose. first, look at berkeley city parking map (on the city’s website) and discover where they require permits and where they don’t. the city border between berkeley and oakland is a little north of the rockridge bart station on college avenue. for <10 minute bus/skateboard ride from wada, you can go get your car which you’ve parked on miles avenue. miles ave is a one way street (technically in oakland, but in a very safe neighborhood) that lets you park all day every day except the 3 hours twice a month when they sweep the streets. i did this all last year. park my car on miles ave for free, then bus/walk up to unit 2, then make sure that i had moved my car 2 weeks later, when the street sweepers came. there are signs posted on the street telling you when they come.</p>
<p>anyways, i hope this helps you save some money. it sure did for me, and i’m a total sucker for my car… there was NO way i was going to leave my baby at my parents house all year. any more ?'s feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>cheers,
feuerwerke</p>
<p>I personally liked Wada a lot. Granted, I had one of the top rooms and therefore high rise windows, but still. You get a lot from it other than a cleaner person every week. Free internet cable and utilities, mail and packages are easy to get. Plus it’s new and really nice, and it comes with furniture/beds. Factor that into the price when you rent an unfurnished apartment.</p>
<p>CB has smaller rooms than Wada and costs more.</p>
<p>Just my opinion. But for the proximity, Wada is pretty good.</p>
<p>For cars, my roommate parked his in some lot somewhere. Don’t really know where though. You can also find various places in Berkeley that don’t charge for parking. Parking is free near Shattuck and Haste (you have to find a space though).</p>
<p>true… wada does come with furniture, wired internet, cable (works only if you bring your own tv), and electricity/water.</p>
<p>though… i found a room for rent in an actual house (not a condo or apt) for $650/mo with all utilities incl. water, electricity, wireless internet, tv, yard maintenence, et cetera. the landlord lives a couple floors above me and takes care of things like the random leaky faucet or plugged drain. i get my own room and share the rest of the floor with other cal students.</p>
<p>so i think it’s fair to say that while wada is a good choice for ppl who are dead set on experiencing the college “dorm life”, i think that for not much more effort, you can find somewhere to live that is cheaper and has more character (or is more cozy) than the feel of cement walls and having to SWIPE YOUR CAL ID CARD IN FRONT OF A SECURITY PERSON EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU ENTER THE BUILDING AFTER 6pm EVERY SINGLE DAY. </p>
<p>just sayin…</p>